The present invention relates to an electrical connector interlocking apparatus, particularly an apparatus for providing customized connectors, built from separate modular connector components, which function like one-piece connectors. More particularly, the present invention relates to a locking key apparatus for connecting modular connector header components stacked end-to-end by engaging coding slots on the modular components.
Electronics industry requirements for electrical connector length, number of contact rows (density), and signal/power module configurations for backplane connectors continue to increase. Most connector customer requirements are application specific in terms of the I/O number and the board layout configurations. In an effort to address the multitude of "custom" customer requirements, modular connectors have been developed to permit end-to-end stacking of electrical connectors. By providing a building-block or modular connector approach, connector suppliers are able to address the multitude of custom industry application requirements while realizing economies of scale in the manufacturing process. Therefore, the modular approach is desirable from a manufacturing standpoint to reduce tooling and assembly costs associated with the manufacture of connectors having high density, very long, one-piece custom insulator bodies.
From a customer standpoint, however, a one-piece connector facilitates inventory and assembly requirements. The present invention provides a connector interlocking apparatus and method which permits the manufacturer to supply customers with a one-piece custom connector design, while allowing the manufacturer to achieve economies of scale through manufacture of smaller, standardized building block connector modules.
One type of modular connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,728 to Cheng. In the Cheng '728 patent, the connectors are each formed to including protruding wedge blocks extending upwardly above each end wall. Wedge blocks of adjacent connectors are then interconnected by fastening clips.
The present invention provides a locking key apparatus for coupling or interlocking discrete, modular, end-to-end stackable connector components into a customized one-piece connector. The current industry standard for two millimeter, two-part connectors for use with printed boards and backplanes is set forth by specification EIA-616 from the Electronic Industries Association. The international standard for such connectors is set forth in specification IEC-48B (Secretariat) 296.
According to the present invention, it is not required to modify these specified connectors to include additional non-specified components such as the protruding wedge blocks required in the Cheng '728 patent in order to interlock the connectors. The present invention uses existing structural features of the specified connectors to interlock adjacent connectors. This eliminates the need for incurring high tooling costs and manufacturing expenses typically associated with development of customized connectors or connectors that require very long, one-piece plastic insulators.
The interlocked connector of the present invention is not limited to signal or power connectors. The customer can combine both signal and power within the same integrated connector. The "mono-locked" connector system of the present invention is not limited in length or number of configurations.
The interlocking apparatus and method of the present invention locks adjacent connector modules in an X-axis and a Y-axis. The interlocking elements of the present invention rigidly contain the individual connector modules as a single locked unit. Therefore, the single unit can be handled, stored, and assembled by the customer in the same manner as a single-insulator, custom electrical connector.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for locking first and second electrical connector modules into a single unit when the modules are stacked end-to-end. The first and second modules each includes an insulative body and a plurality of electrical contacts coupled to the insulative body. The insulative body has a wall formed to include at least one slot. The apparatus of the present invention includes a locking key having a first tab configured to enter a slot in the first module to engage the first insulative body and a second tab configured to enter a slot in the second module to engage the second insulative body when the first and second modules are stacked end-to-end to couple the first and second modules together.
The slots formed in the insulative bodies of the first and second modules include a first opening portion having a first width and a second opening portion having a second width. The second width is narrower than the first width. The first and second tabs each including a shaft and a head. The shaft has a width substantially equal to the second width of the second opening portions of the coding slots.
In the illustrated embodiments, each of the heads of the first and second tabs includes a base having a width substantially equal to the first width of the first portion of the coding slots. A face of the locking key is formed to abut a face of the first module and a face of the second module when the tabs engage the first and second modules. The face of the locking key is formed to include a channel configured to surround at least one ridge formed on the face of the first module and at least one ridge formed on the face of the second module.
An illustrated locking key is formed to include a third tab configured to enter a second slot in the first module to engage the first insulative body and a fourth tab configured to enter a second slot in the second module to engage the second insulative body.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for locking first and second adjacent electrical connector modules into a single unit when the modules are stacked end-to-end. The first and second modules each include an insulative body and a plurality of electrical contacts coupled to the insulative body. The insulative body is formed to include a coding wall having at least one slot formed in the coding wall. The coding wall having an inside support surface around the slot facing toward the contacts and an outside support surface around the slot facing away from the contacts. The apparatus of the present invention includes a locking key including at least two tabs. The first tab being formed to engage a support surface of the first module and the second tab being formed to engage a support of the second module when the first and second modules are stacked end-to-end to couple the first and second modules together.
In the illustrated apparatus, the coding wall includes an outside surface facing away from the contacts. The locking key includes a front face formed to engage the outside surface, and the tabs are formed to extend through the coding slots to engage the inside support surface.
The coding wall includes an inside surface facing toward the contacts. The locking key includes a front face formed to engage the inside surface, and the tabs are formed to extend through the coding slots to engage the outside support surface. The locking key is formed to perform a coding function for at least one of the connector modules.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for interlocking electrical connector modules into a single unit when the modules are stacked end-to-end. The method includes the step of providing first and second modules each including an insulative body and a plurality of electrical contacts coupled to the insulative body. The insulative body having a wall formed to include at least one slot. The method also includes the steps of providing a locking key including a first tab configured to enter a slot in the first module to engage the first insulative body and a second tab configured to enter a slot in the second module to engage the second insulative body when the first and second modules are stacked end-to--end, and inserting the locking key tabs into the slots in the first and second modules to couple the first and second modules together.
The slot includes a first opening portion having a first width and a second opening portion having a second width. The step of inserting the locking key tabs includes the steps of inserting the tabs into the first opening portion and then sliding the locking key relative to the insulative body to move the tabs into the second opening portion.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.